Article carrier

ABSTRACT

A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articles arranged in coincidental tiers wherein each tier includes at least two articles having flanges at their upper ends which are interconnected and wherein the carrier comprises an open ended tubular structure having top and side panels together with a retaining strap interconnected at its ends with the side panels. A retaining flap is disposed on each side edge of the retaining strap and is joined thereto along a fold line so that the retaining flaps engage the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier and also the lower surfaces of the interconnected flanges of the articles in the lower tier to hold those articles within the package. Article holding means may be disposed at the corners of the carrier and serves to engage cutaway areas at the junction between interconnected flanges and thus prevents dislodgment of the articles in the upper tier through the open ends of the wrapper.

tinned States Patent [19 1 Calvert Jan. 21, 1975 ARTICLE CARRIER [75]Inventor: Rodney K. Calvert, Dunwoody, Ga.

[73] Assignee: The Mead Corporation, Dayton,

Ohio

22 Filed: Sept. 14, 1973 211 App]. No.: 397,166

Primary ExaminerLeonard Summer Attorney, Agent, or FirmWalter M. RodgersABSTRACT A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articlesarranged in coincidental tiers wherein each tier includes at least twoarticles having flanges at their upper ends which are interconnected andwherein the carrier comprises an open ended tubular structure having topand side panels together with a retaining strap interconnected at itsends with the side panels. A retaining flap is disposed on each sideedge of the retaining strap and is joined thereto along a fold line sothat the retaining flaps engage the side walls of adjacent articles inthe lower tier and also the lower surfaces of the interconnected flangesof the articles in the lower tier to hold those articles within thepackage. Article holding means may be disposed at the corners of thecarrier and serves to engage cutaway areas at the junction betweeninterconnected flanges and thus prevents dislodgment of the articles inthe upper tier through the open ends of the wrapper.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1 ARTICLE CARRIER Containers for fruitjuice, puddings and the like which include a body portion in the shapeofa cup having a flange at its upper end ordinarily are formed, filledand sealed in such a way that the packages are arranged in groups withtheir flanges interconnected along perforated fold lines. Such groupingsmay constitute a single pair or any other desired arrangement such astwo rows of two packages each, two rows of three, four or five packageseach or a greater number of rows ofa desired number of containers.Ordinarily such containers are smaller than an ordinary drinking glassand in order to provide for efficient handling during shipment anddisplay in retail outlets, it is desirable to stack the articles intiers one above another.

In accordance with one form of this invention, an economical carrier isprovided which takes advantage of the flanged connections between two ormore articles and provides a package in which at least two articleshaving interconnected flanges at their upper ends are stacked in tierswith one pair of articles atop another pair and the carrier simplyconstitutes a top panel which overlies the tops of the articles in thetop tier together with side panels which are interconnected at theirupper edges to the opposite side edges of the top panel and which extendto a level adjacent the flanges of the articles in the lower tiertogether with a retaining strap which is interconnected at its ends tothe lower edges of the side panels and which extends between the sidewalls of a pair of articles in the lower tier and which is disposedbelow the interconnected flanges of the top flanges of the articles inthe lower tier. Retaining flaps are foldably joined to the side edges ofthe retaining strap and engage the articles.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled carrier formed according tothe invention and in which the lower portions of the articles in thelower tier are broken away for simplicity and clarity;

FIG. 2A is a side view of a pair of primary containers having flanges attheir upper ends which are interconnected; FIG. 2B is a plan view of thearrangement shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the carrier is formed asshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the carrier shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line designated 5-5 inFIG. 4; and in which FIG. 6 is a plan view of a blank constructedaccording to a modification of the invention.

In the drawing Cl designates a container which is interconnected with asimilar container C2 via the flanges F1 and F2 along a perforatedjunction line L. In use it may be desirable to separate container C1from container C2 by simply severing the flange F1 from the flange F2along the line L.

As is apparent in FIGS. 1, and 5, one tier of containers such as Cl andC2 is disposed atop another tier of similar containers designated C3 andC4 and in coincidental relationship therewith. The arrangement as shownin FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 constitute a secure package because the two tiersare secured in place and maintained as a group bythe carrier blank shownin FIG. 3

which includes a top panel 1 having a locking tab 2 foldably joined to aside edge thereof along fold line 3 together with a side panel 4 whichis foldably joined to a side edge of top panel 1 along fold line 5. Aretaining strap 6 is interconnected at one end 7 with the bottom edge ofside panel 4 and at its other end retaining strap 6 is interconnectedalong fold line 8 with the bottom edge of side panel 9. A lap panel 10is foldably joined along a fold line 11 with the upper edge of sidepanel 9.

The carrier as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 is assembled by simply stackingthe tiers of containers one atop another as shown and by securing thecarrier blank of FIG. 3 in position with the top panel 1 disposed atopthe tops of articles C1 and C2 and overlying their flanges and with theside panels 4 and 9 disposed alongside the side walls of containers C1and C2, the retaining strap 6 being interposed between articles C3 andC4 and beneath the interconnected flanges F3 and F4.

For the purpose of interconnecting the ends of the carrier blank, alocking aperture designated by the numeral 12 is formed in side panel 9by striking from that panel a pair of retaining tabs 13 and 14 which arefoldably joined to side panel 9 and to lap panel 10 along fold line 15and 11 respectively. Thus with the parts assembled as shown in FIGS. 1,4 and 5 the locking tab 2 is simply driven through the aperture 12 andmaintained at a desired angle by the retaining tabs 13 and 14 as is bestshown in FIG. 5. This locking structure occupies the notch N1 best shownin FIG. 2B and serves to aid in holding containers C1 and C2 within thewrapper.

Along the opposite edge of top panel 1, holding means generallydesignated by the numeral 16 is provided and occupies the notch N2 toaid in holding the containers C1 and C2 against dislodgment through theopen ends of the wrapper. Holding means 16 comprises a holding panel 17struck from side panel 4 and foldably joined thereto along fold line 18together with holding panel 19 struck from a top panel 1 and foldablyjoined thereto along fold line 20. Holding panels 18 and 19 are foldablyjoined to each other along fold line 21 which with the parts occupying aflat plane asv shown in FIG. 3 is coincident with the fold line 5. Whenthe wrapper is assembled as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, holding means 16is folded inwardly so that holding panel 19 extends downwardly from thetop panel 1 while holding panel 17 extends inwardly and in angularrelationship to the side panel 4.

For the purpose of engaging the side walls and flanges of containers C3and C4, a pair of retaining flaps 22 and 23 are foldably joined to theside edges of retaining strap 6 along arcuate elliptical fold lines 24and 25 respectively. Of course the strap 6 is disposed underneath theinterconnected flanges F3 and F4 and as is clearly shown in FIG. 4serves to secure the containers C3 and C4 in place within the wrapper.As is apparent in FIG. 5 the end portions 28 and 29 of flap 23 snuglyengage the lower surface of flange F4 and thus aid in securing the lowertier of articles snugly in position within the wrapper. Similarly endportions 26 and 27 of flap 22 engage flange F3.

The dimension X in FIG. 3 represents the narrowest width of strap 6 andthis dimension generally corresponds to the distance X in FIG. 4 betweencontainers C3 and C4.

The modification of the invention as represented by the blank shown inFIG. 6, is similar in all essential respects to the blank shown in FIG.3. The modification of FIG. 6 differs in that the retaining flange 22Ais foldably joined to the side edges of retaining strap 6A along astraight fold line 24A and one end of retaining flap 22A isinterconnected with the side wall 9A by a web panel 30 which is foldablyjoined along fold line 31 to an end of retaining flap 22A and to sidewall 9A along a fold line 32. At the other end of retaining flap 22A, aweb panel 33 is interconnected with the retaining flap 22A along foldline 34 and with side wall 4A along a fold line 35.

In like fashion retaining flap 23A is interconnected with side wall 9Aby a web panel 36 which is foldably joined along fold line 37 to one endof retaining flap 23A and to side wall 9A along a fold line 38. At theother end, retaining flap 23A is foldably joined to web panel 39 alongfold line 40 and web panel 39 is foldably joined along a fold line 41 toside wall 4A.

For the purpose of engaging the flanges of the primary packages of thelower tier in a package having four or some greater even number of cupsper tier, a pair of retaining tabs 42 and 43 are used and are integralwith or secured to the outer edges of retaining flaps 22A and 23Arespectively. These retaining tabs are inserted into the aperturesdesignated N1 and N2 which taken together define composite aperturesinto which tabs 42 and 43 protrude. Preferably tabs 42 and 43 areconstructed with tapered side edges which aid in guiding the tabs into acomposite opening N1, N2. The tabs 42 and 43 when captured in aperturesN1, N2 hold the flaps 22A and 23A against sidewise collapse and thusstrenghen the retaining strap 6A. For some applications of the inventionthe tabs 42 and 43 are not used.

The blank of FIG. 6 is manipulated into package forming relation withthe primary packages as described above in connection with FIGS. 1-5inclusive. An aperture designated by the numeral 44 is disposed astridethe fold line 11A and a similar aperture 45 is disposed astride the foldline 3A. When the locking tab 2A is driven through the aperture definedby retaining tab 14A, the apertures 44 and 45 are in close proximity toeach other and are in substantial coincidence. These apertures at onecorner of the package correspond in a general way with the apertureformed when holding tabs 17A and 19A are folded inwardly thus affordingan element of symmetry to the appearance of the package and also servingas a means for holding the primary packages within the wrapper.

If desired a finger gripping aperture 46 may be formed in top panel 1 tofacilitate carrying the package where the package includes eight or morearticles.

From the above description it is apparent that by the invention aminimum of material is required to form the carrier and that optimumadvantage is taken of the flanged arrangement of the primary containersin order to form a secure and economical package.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articles arranged intwo coincidental tiers with each tier comprising at least two articleshaving interconnected flanges at their upper ends, said carriercomprising a top panel overlying the tops of the articles of the toptier, a pair of side panels interconnected with the side edges of thetop panel and extending downwardly with their lower edges atapproximately the level of the tops of the articles in the lower tier,and a retaining strap having its ends joined respectively to the loweredges of said side panels and disposed below the interconnected flangesand between the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein retaining flaps are foldablyjoined to the side edges of said retaining strap and arranged with atleast portions thereof in face contacting relation with the side wallsof adjacent articles in the lower tier.

3. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein at least portions of the outeredges of said retaining flaps engage the lower surfaces of theinterconnected flanges of the lower tier.

4. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the end portions of the outeredges of said retaining flaps engage the lower surfaces of theinterconnected flanges of the lower tier.

5. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the fold lines adjoining saidretaining flaps to said retaining strap are of arcuate configuration.

6. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the outer edges of saidretaining flaps are of arcuate generally elliptical configuration.

7. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein a web panel is interconnectedbetween each end of each retaining flap and the adjacent side wall.

8. A carrier according to claim 1 wherein inwardly projecting holdingmeans is disposed at the junction be tween at least one side panel andthe associated side edge of said top panel and disposed within a cutawayportion of the flanges of the top tier of articles to preventdislodgment of the top tier of articles from the carr1er.

9. A carrier according to claim 8 wherein said holding means compriseslocking means for interconnecting the upper edge of one of said sidepanels with the adjacent side edge of said top panel.

1. A carrier for packaging a plurality of flanged articles arranged intwo coincidental tiers with each tier comprising at least two articleshaving interconnected flanges at their upper ends, said carriercomprising a top panel overlying the tops of the articles of the toptier, a pair of side panels interconnected with the side edges of thetop panel and extending downwardly with their lower edges atapproximately the level of the tops of the articles in the lower tier,and a retaining strap having its ends jOined respectively to the loweredges of said side panels and disposed below the interconnected flangesand between the side walls of adjacent articles in the lower tier.
 2. Acarrier according to claim 1 wherein retaining flaps are foldably joinedto the side edges of said retaining strap and arranged with at leastportions thereof in face contacting relation with the side walls ofadjacent articles in the lower tier.
 3. A carrier according to claim 2wherein at least portions of the outer edges of said retaining flapsengage the lower surfaces of the interconnected flanges of the lowertier.
 4. A carrier according to claim 2 wherein the end portions of theouter edges of said retaining flaps engage the lower surfaces of theinterconnected flanges of the lower tier.
 5. A carrier according toclaim 2 wherein the fold lines adjoining said retaining flaps to saidretaining strap are of arcuate configuration.
 6. A carrier according toclaim 2 wherein the outer edges of said retaining flaps are of arcuategenerally elliptical configuration.
 7. A carrier according to claim 2wherein a web panel is interconnected between each end of each retainingflap and the adjacent side wall.
 8. A carrier according to claim 1wherein inwardly projecting holding means is disposed at the junctionbetween at least one side panel and the associated side edge of said toppanel and disposed within a cutaway portion of the flanges of the toptier of articles to prevent dislodgment of the top tier of articles fromthe carrier.
 9. A carrier according to claim 8 wherein said holdingmeans comprises locking means for interconnecting the upper edge of oneof said side panels with the adjacent side edge of said top panel.